go to Fuego +
News Release: November 24th, 2005
Drilling Underway at the
Fuego Gold-Silver Project, Mexico
Almaden Minerals Ltd. ("Almaden")
is pleased to announce that its partner Horseshoe Gold Mining
Inc. ("Horseshoe") has initiated a diamond drill program
on Almaden's wholly owned Fuego gold-silver prospect located
in Oaxaca State, Mexico. The drill program will consist of a
minimum of 2,000 meters designed to test along the strike and
dip of a quartz vein system identified and staked by Almaden
in 2003.
The Fuego project is road accessible and located
in Oaxaca State, roughly 140 kilometers southeast of Oaxaca City.
The property covers an area of low-sulphidation epithermal veining
exhibiting classic vein textures commensurate with a highly preserved
dynamic mineralising environment. The textures include colloform
banded fine grained quartz which has replaced non-crystalline
amorphous silica, quartz which has replaced lattice-textured
calcite and sulphide-rich bands containing electrum and exhibiting
graded bedding. These textures are interpreted to represent a
high level of exposure within the mineralised portion of a large
epithermal vein system.
In 2004 Horseshoe completed a surface geologic
mapping and rock and soil sampling program on the Fuego property.
This program outlined the main vein zone which has been traced
in outcrop roughly 1,000 meters along strike. Along this exposed
strike length vein widths vary from 3 to 10 meters. Several parallel
veins were identified in outcrop as well. Sampling of the main
vein returned values from 0.04 to 13.6 g/t Au and silver values
from 1.6 to 643 g/t. Where exposure allowed, continuous chip
sampling was carried out on the main vein. The results included
a 4 meter exposure averaging 4.52 g/t Au and 86 g/t Ag with individual
samples up to 10.6 g/t Au and 162 g/t Ag. This sampling was carried
out on a different vein exposure than where a 3 meter sample
taken by Almaden across the vein returned 7.8 g/t Au and 191
g/t Ag. Soil sampling highlighted the main vein zone with elevated
Au, Ag, Sb and As values in samples collected. Additional zones
of elevated Au, Ag, Sb and As in soil samples spatially unrelated
to the main vein zone suggest that unexposed parallel structures
may exist. A small Induced Polarization (IP) geophysical survey
was carried out to test the effectiveness of this methodology
in identifying vein structures that are not exposed. This work
identified the known veins as resistivity and chargeability highs.
The present drill program includes plans to test along roughly
500 meters of strike length and up to 150 meters beneath surface.
Almaden optioned the Fuego property to Horshoe
on terms whereby Horseshoe can earn a 60% interest in the property
by spending US$3 Million exploring the Fuego project and issuing
1,000,000 shares of Horseshoe to Almaden. In addition, upon earning
a 60% interest in the property, Horseshoe would have 120 days
to acquire Almaden's remaining 40% interest in the property in
return for a 40% interest in the issued capital of Horseshoe,
to be issued by Horseshoe to Almaden at that time.
Samples were analysed by ALS Chemex Labs of North Vancouver.
Almaden samples were taken under the direction of qualified persons
Mr. Morgan Poliquin, M.Sc., P.Eng, director of Almaden and Mr.
H. L. King, P.Geo. Work by Horseshoe was carried out under the
supervision of qualified person Mr. William Wengzynowski, P.Eng.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Morgan Poliquin
The Toronto Stock Exchange
has not reviewed nor accepted responsibility for the adequacy
or accuracy of the contents of this news release which has been
prepared by management. Statements contained in this news release
that are not historical facts are forward looking statements
as that term is defined in the private securities litigation
reform act of 1995. Such forward -looking statements are subject
to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to
differ materially from estimated results. Such risks and uncertainties
are detailed in the Company's filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. |